Together, We Can Do It!

MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING

Thursday, January 18, 2024

8 PM EST / 7PM CST / 6 PM MST/ 5 PM PST

PATRIOTS & GUESTS INVITED

LOGIN ONLINE: https://zoom.us/j/4981732263

Meeting Code - 2020

Call in via telephone: 1-929-436-2866

Enter this Meeting ID: 4981 732 263

National President

Barbara Hale Ray

Welcome 2024

Happy New Year Auxiliary Family

Members of the Auxiliary, as we open with a new blank slate to begin our year, I want to Thank You for allowing me to be a part of your lives. I know this past year has been full of challenges. I pray this 2024 year bring brighter and sunny days to you.

I had another paper all planned to outline strategic plans to help us get rid of the old and bring in the new. Instead, I came up with three words to incorporate into our plans. “Just Do It”. No matter the stumbling block, we will always have unfinished projects we just didn’t have enough time to

complete.

Time, there are only 24 hours in a day to accomplish our work. We can narrow down the objects, select the oldest, choose the one that shows more interest, but wait! What about time for praying, sleeping, eating, and family? When you plan it down to the letter, you will always have the same

amount of time each day but use it wisely. The object is to use what you have and arrange it so that you have time for YOU. A few months ago, I suggested Tea-time just for you. Are you still having

your cup of tea? Or did you just push yourself to the back of the list. Did you? (Smile)

In marking up your planners for the year, please pencil in time for yourself. We are always going to have unfinished projects, some outweigh others, but the main unfinished project is when you don’t take care of number one, yourself.

As we move forward to complete the work for Purple Heart this year, remember that time is a precious commodity, a constant companion in the journey of life. Embrace it with purpose and intention. Allocate moments for self-reflection, growth, and joy. Cherish the present, for it is the canvas upon which your future unfolds. Time is the sculptor of your experiences; wield it wisely,

and craft a meaningful existence.



Barbara

[email protected]

National Senior Vice President

Fran Holtgreven

Another year, 2023, is in the history books and a new year, 2024, is just beginning. Did you make your New Year Resolutions, or are you like me and say, “not doing it this year, because I never follow through with them, so why even bother?”.   

January 1, 2024, as I was watching the bowl games and waiting for our dinner of pork, sauerkraut, black eyed peas and key lime pie to be finished cooking, (yes, I cover my northern and southern family traditions), a family member asked about resolutions that each of us had made. The usual came up and we all laughed about how long these resolutions would last.   

This subject intrigued me, so I googled New Year Resolutions. Of course, the same ones came up that usually are made at the beginning of the new year. Then, I noticed that resolution quotes were listed, and I looked at those. One quote jumped out at me from Jane Austen. Yes, the author, born December 16, 1775. I read this quote four times. Here is the quote: “Let your resolutions be reflections of the inner strength that resides within you, creating ripples of inspiration that touch the lives of those around you.” I immediately thought of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Auxiliary and how each and everyone of those members touched the lives of so many people throughout the year. This is not a resolution that we only keep going in January and then forget, get tired or just plain do not want to complete. This is a resolution that shows the strength, inspiration and ideas each of you give to the MOPHA to help our Patriots and Veterans throughout the whole year.                 

If you didn’t make any resolutions this year, you are wrong, you made this resolution the day you joined the MOPHA and each year this resolution is renewed at the beginning of the New Year.               

THANK YOU and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

                   

Fran

[email protected]

National Junior Vice President

Teviah Gilliard

Jr. Vice President Teviah Gilliard's FUNdraiser will be unveiled at our meeting! We are so excited to share the tropical shirt designs as well as a beautiful Purple Heart ornament! We hope to have the physical

The Department of Louisiana is hosting a king cake fundraiser for anyone who wants to experience the traditional sweet-treat of Mardi Gras. For more information, visit www.MOPHLA.org/kingcake.

Teviah

[email protected]

Available in Patriot

Version Only

Available in Patriot

Version Only

Available in Patriot

Version Only

Available in Auxiliary, Associate, and

Supporter Versions.

Available in Auxiliary, Associate, and

Supporter Versions.

Available in Auxiliary, Associate, and

Supporter Versions.

Available in Auxiliary, Associate, and

Supporter Versions.

No logo, only purple heart shapes.

Gorgeous 3" metal ornament that can be used for multiple purposes.

National Secretary

Judy Fiddler

Happy New Year Everyone...I hope your holidays were the best (however you celebrated them).

The ornaments are in and the order process will be on our website and unveiled at our meeting. They are beautiful and heavy. The thickness is about the same as a challenge coin. They fit in the palm of my hand to give you an idea of their size. The back has a texture to it and I have checked with my local engraver and she said they can be engraved but would recommend an engraved plate to put on the back, honoring your recipient. The texture could chip away at the time of engraving. We will not provide this option...that is totaling on you after the purchase. This is one of the fundraisers that Junior Vice Teviah Gilliard is doing. 

   National Convention plans are in the works. Hotel reservations can be made through a link on our website. It is the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Convention dates are Arrival on Sunday, JULY 14, Convention days 15, 16 and 17 and then Depart on Thursday, JULY 18, 2024.

   It is also time to start thinking about running for an office, whether it be in your Unit, Department or at National. Reports are due by May 15 and your Installation report is due no later than May 31, 2024. Since the convention is one month sooner this year, there is no time for late reports. Compiling and printing for convention takes time and this year that time is short. I would appreciate everyone's help.

   Thanking for your support of our Veterans and of the Auxiliary...Judy

Judy

[email protected]

National Sgt at Arms, VAVS Rep, CoAmericanism Officer

Linda Varejcka

"President's Day is February 19th. Please send us photos of any activities you may participate in.

Linda

[email protected]

National Sgt at Arms, VAVS Rep, CoAmericanism Officer

Linda Varejcka

Did you participate in activities or gatherings over the holidays? Share them with us! 

Email Amanda at [email protected] or tag us in Public posts on Facebook. We want to share your happenings.

Amanda

National Chaplain

Gwendolyn Gilliard, PNP

From the Desk of the MOPHA National Chaplain

JANUARY 2024

Praise the Lord! By God’s grace and mercy we have now been blessed to be welcomed into the New Year of 2024! Yes! Praise the Lord as He has brought us forth to be able to come before His throne of grace and mercy with great hope and expectation because of our faith. Yes, choosing to believe that one of the greatest abilities He has given to us is the power to choose; choosing to trust the One and only One God Who knows what the future holds and what He has purposed for each of us in this beginning of 2024. Choosing to believe that,“The Lord’s compassions are new every morning; great is Your (God’s) faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Memoriam and Sympathy for Bereaved Families

(always sad to share but never too late to send card or express condolences, if possible)

*Eliz Rivera CA 385 (11/2/23)                                                     *Cara Stephens CA 385 (11/12/23)  

*Mary Ann Vesper WI 162 (12/14/23)                                     *Lila Spangler WI 228 (10/28/23)

*Joan M. Hanson WI 162 (9/5/23)

Please continue in prayers for both known, unknown, anonymous and unspoken for the United States of America and the world environment; the unhomed , poor, needy and hungry; the sick, hospitalized/shut-/in, those incarcerate and lonely, and all others needs and concerns.  

January Birthdays: Happy, Happy Birthday to all of J Birthday Celebrants! May the good Lord keep on blessing you real good with many more birthdays to come with abundant favor and the desires of your hearts. 

And of January Birthdays, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Birthday, Jr., Civil Rights Leader, born 15 January, birthday is observed as a federal holiday on the third Monday of January since 1983. I’d like to share part of one of his prayers:

   “O God…we thank Thee for Thy Church, founded upon Thy Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon Thee….Help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity. Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace, help us to walk together, pray together, sing together, and live together until that day when all God’s children, Black, White, Red, and Yellow, will rejoice in one common band of humanity in the kingdom of our Lord and of our God, we pray. AMEN” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Prayer Request: This is your Time-it will be ‘Your Prayer’; please join in:

“They were all continually united in prayer.” (Acts 1:14)

 … And in closing Lord our God, I ask that you bless our Auxiliary Chaplains, prayer warriors and members, Patriots and families. Thank You for hearing their/our prayers and meeting us at our needs and concerns according to Your purpose. Thank You for Your power and Your immeasurably love, strength, peace, Your sweet, amazing grace and mercy that endures forever, we declare in Your Holy Name. AMEN

Have a greatly blessed New Year with God’s unwavering Grace, Mercy and Love!!!

Humbly,

Numbers 6:24-26

Gwendolyn

[email protected]

We also encourage prayers for healing to two of our favorite Purple Heart Family Members.

Prayers to our National President Barbara Hale Ray who was recently released from the hospital due to pericarditis. Prayers are also requested for Patriot Tommy Tanaka who happily visits our Auxiliary during our national Convention. 96-year-old Tommy was involved in a car accident but is doing well and has also been released from the hospital.

Cards may be sent to:

Barbara Hale Ray

4569 S. Ireland Lane

Aurora, CO 80015

Tommy Tanaka

3547 Manoa Road

Honolulu, HI 96822-1123



Region 1, 3, 6 Liaison

Terri Shattuck, PNP

Unit 1985 did a Christmas project that created smiles all over our county. Myself and 3 of my young mopha members delivered Christmas dinners to 28 veterans. We sang Christmas songs, not in tune, as we delivered them. It was so fun and heart warming to see the smiles. The dinners included ham, mash potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, dinner rolls. We also delivered a fruit bowl with fresh fruit and a pumpkin pie. With the help from our local Family Fare we were able to include a small gift bag with gloves, scarf and Christmas candy. Thank you to our Great Organization and the Service Foundation. I hope more units use these grants to create smiles. Wouldn't it be nice to have " Smiles across Our Great Nation" ? 

Pictures to follow.

Terri Shattuck PNP 

Unit 1985 President 

Helpers:

Serenity Shattuck

Mia McGregor

Tyler (#2) McGregor

Terri

[email protected]

Region 4 President

JoAnn Crowley on behalf of Dept. of Florida President

Betty Brunton

Happy New Year to all!

Planning for the 2024 National Convention for MOPHA & MOPH has begun! Our convention will be held July 14-18 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, FL. Room rate is just $139 per night plus taxes and fees. The theme is the “Year of the Family.” We hope that you’ll take advantage of the convention location and make it a truly family event by bringing the kids and grandkids and enjoy all the area has to offer! If you’d like to reserve your hotel room now, you can click on the link below. A block or rooms is currently being held for the nights of July 14-18. 91st MOPH National Convention Those of us with the Department of Florida are in need of your help! We ask that all Members begin collecting items we can sell at the convention as one of our fundraising events. Sale items can include

anything Purple, including jewelry, ornaments, what-nots, etc. The shopping area is always a fun spot and we Auxiliary members love adding to our Purple collections! Of course, we welcome sale items of any and all colors – it’s just that Purple is our favorite!

If you have suggestions or ideas for fundraising events or activities you’d like to see take place, please share them. As this is the first National Convention for our MOPHA Florida DEC, we are open to all ideas, and welcome your help and support. We are working on a few things, but the more we have, the greater our success! Please reach out to me at [email protected] with your input.

Thanks to Past National President, KayJo Baucom, we have been provided with Auxiliary bags for the Convention. We are asking each Region to provide something special from your area that can be included in the convention bags for each Auxiliary registrant. It should be a token item that will remind them of your region and the convention.

The Department of Florida Executive Committee appreciates your support and help, and we look forward to seeing you in July in beautiful Orlando.

Yours in Patriotism,

Betty Ann Brunton, President

Shirley Rivera, Senior Vice

Christine Day, Junior Vice

Denise Mattar, Treasurer

Kathy Furgeson, Parliamentarian & Chaplain

JoAnn

[email protected]

CLICK HERE FOR CONVENTION ROOM RESERVATION LINK

Several Purple Heart Families are embarking on a 4 day Bahama cruise ship July 8-12th departing from Port Canaveral. We wanted to share the details. This is not an official Purple Heart event, but with so many people in Orlando during the convention, it may be fun to hop on the Carnival Glory the week before and arrive back in Florida in time to visit the theme parks and register for the 91st convention.

For more details, reach out to PNP Amanda Flener.

CLICK HERE FOR CRUISE INFORMATION

Region 5 President

Joyce Dalton

Happy New Year to everyone. There will be many challenges to overcome in the next few months, The most important thing is to remember our Patriots and Veterans. 

For Valentines Day contact the schools in your community and ask the younger grades to make Valentines for Veterans. Distribute to Veterans at the hospitals, Retirement Homes and Assisted Living. 

Recognize the 289th birthday of the founder of the Purple Heart, General George Washington. Work with Purple Heart chapters to have a dinner or festivity to recognize Purple Heart recipients, Law Enforcement, EMT and Firefighters who have been outstanding in the community. Make sure you report all that you do and send pictures. 

Joyce Dalton - Region V President 

MOPHA President Department of Texas 

Call or Text: (210) 844-7579

Email: [email protected]

1415 4thSt. Pleasanton, Tx 78064

Joyce

[email protected]

Webmaster

Colleen Orfanello

THE PURPLE HEART MAGAZINE needs your help!

DID YOU KNOW that you can send in photos, articles, events and information about your Unit directly to the magazine? You can also send in submissions for your artwork to be on the cover! The deadline for the March/April issue is February 15th.

I am available to moderate or set-up your Unit or Department ZOOM meetings. Please let us know your dates for your meeting and/or convention and I will schedule your Zoom if needed.

Colleen

[email protected]

  Wow, where does the time go!! January 2024

    I hope all had great holidays and everyone got time to spend with Family and Friends. After my long visit to Hawaii and Guam and down to Texas, now I am back to all the work they saved up for me. As for what we are doing for the Order Side we are getting closer to having the 990 done and Audits, We just sent out Life membership rebates to the Chapters and Departments that are still active. Chuck the National Adjutant has completed the Group EIN report and sent it out last month. After we finish the 990 we will submit and short 990 to change the year for the Order, it will be 1 September to 30 August each year so this will fit the Budget for the order from Convention to Convention. We had several meetings for the National Convention in Orlando and all seems to be on track so registration should start in February after the department finalizes a few details. I had a lot of requests for the Purple Heart Hawaiian Shirt so this should be an awesome fundraiser for you. (Probably could get a better model next time for the Shirt HAHA). This should help the Auxiliary with your funding needs I am glad I could help!!

  In the next few months, the Order will be busy with Elections and Leadership awards to the schools and planning for Department Conventions. I will be traveling to a few States and getting ready for our briefing to Congress in March. Time is moving quickly, and we still have a lot to accomplish. I am glad that we are working together as a team and moving forward to make our order a better place for all to be a part of. I want to say thank you all for all you do.

Carder Ferguson

National Commander

Military Order of the Purple Heart

REMINDER: FUNdraising resources are available to the MOPHA:

The American Dream Ambassador Program gives registered homeowners access to deep discounts to products and services needed to renovate or touchup their home --and it can even you help purchase a home.

Once registered, you are an American Dream Ambassador for as long as you own your home. 

Click here to watch the video to learn more.

To learn more how the program benefits our Purple Heart families, click here:

CLICK HERE to shop online and support our Auxiliary.

Rada has amazing cutlery and items that would be perfect in your kitchen or to give as a gift.

CLICK HERE to view the January/February issue of the

Purple Heart Magazine.

The deadline for submission for the January/February is December 15th.

Send articles, photos, and other submissions to:

[email protected]

GOLD STAR

RECIPIES

Today we honor Patriot Dennis Hanneman.

His wife, Darlene sent us this recipe for Buckeye Cookies:

CLICK HERE to submit a recipe. Please share with family and friends.

or visit https://www.purpleheartauxiliary.org/gsr